fs.thesecondbookofswords-第38部分

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f　nothing's　happened　to　it。〃
　　　She　protested。　〃But　shouldn't　we　look　for　it？〃
　　　〃It　has　not　proved　as　useful　as　I　had　hoped；〃　sail　Doon。　And　the　tall　wizard　shook　his　head。　〃Not　there；　not　now。　If　it　can　e　to　us　it　will。〃
　　　Ariane　looked　off　into　the　woods　on　the　left　for　a　moment　more；　but　made　no　further　protest。　They　tramped　on；　for　what　seemed　to　Ben　a　long　time；　without　further　conversation。　It　was　hopeless　to　try　to　measure　the　day　by　the　featureless　light　that　filtered　down　through　the　high　branches。　Ben　now　had　no　idea　in　which　part　of　the　sky　the　sun　was；　if　there　was　really　something　like　a　sun　up　there　at　all。　It　was　still　full　daylight；　as　it　had　been　ever　since　they　had　entered　the　realm　of　magic。　And　it　seemed　to　Ben　that　they　had　been　moving　all　that　time　in　a　straight　line。
　　　At　last　Doon　called　another　halt　for　rest。　This　time　he　did　not　sheathe　his　Sword　at　all；　but　sat　in　the　grass　holding　it　and　looking　at　it；　and　his　doubt　was　plain　to　read　upon　his　face。
　　　Meanwhile　the　two　wizards　had　gone　a　little　apart；　for　what　appeared　to　be　one　of　their　regular　periodic　conferences。　But　when　Indosuaros　returned　it　was　to　say　that　he　had　sent　Mitspieler　on　ahead　to　scout。
　　　Doon　exploded　at　the　news。　He　scrambled　past　the　other　man；　looking　wildly　off　in　the　direction　in　which　the　assistant　magician　had　evidently　vanished。　Then　he　rounded　on　Indosuaros。　〃What's　the　idea？　I　am　in　mand　here。　How　dare　you　do　such　a　thing　without　telling　me？〃
　　　Indosuaros；　instead　of　lashing　back；　suddenly　looked　somewhat　ill。　He　leaned　his　back　against　a　tree；　and　then　slowly　slid　down　it；　until　he　was　sitting　in　the　grass。
　　　〃What's　wrong　with　you？〃
　　　The　graybeard　looked　up。　〃It　will　pass。　I　advise　you　to　wait　for　Mitspieler　to　e　back；　before　you　take　any　action。〃
　　　〃If　he　es　back；　you　mean。　Gods　and　demons；　man！　What　possessed　you　to　send　him　off　like　that　without　asking　me？〃
　　　This　time　Doon　received　no　answer。　Indosuaros'　eyes　were　closed；　and　Ben　saw　with　alarm　that　the　wizard　…　now　the　only　wizard　that　the　party　had　available　…　was　slumping　down　even　more；　looking　as　if　he　were　in　pain。
　　　Doon　gazed　round　at　the　other　people；　as　if　he　were　minded　to　order　them　to　do　something；　but　could　not　think　of　what。　In　a　moment　he　went　back　to　staring　after　the　vanished　Mitspieler。
　　　Ariane　had　sat　down　too；　and　her　eyes　were　closed。　But　she　appeared　to　be　only　resting　or　thinking；　and　not　sick。　Presently　she　said　softly：　〃I　think　it　is　the　magic　all　around　us　that　makes　the　old　man　sick。〃
　　　〃What　can　we　do　about　it？〃　Mark　asked　her　the　question　as　if　he　really　thought　she　might　have　a　useful　answer。
　　　〃We　should　get　him　out　of　here。　But　then　we　can't　travel　here　without　guidance。〃
　　　Doon　was　looking　at　his　Sword　again。　Now　he　swore；　and　jammed　it　violently　into　the　ground；　instead　of　putting　it　back　into　its　scabbard。
　　　Mark　and　Ben　conferred　together；　but　were　unable　to　decide　upon　a　course　of　action。　As　they　talked；　they　became　gradually　aware　that　the　forest　around　them　was　growing　darker。　This　was　a　different　kind　of　phenomenon　from　the　previous　darkening。　Now　the　whole　sky　was　slowly　dimming；　very　much　as　it　would　at　dusk　outdoors　on　a　cloudy　day。
　　　Indosuaros　roused　himself　a　little；　enough　to　assure　the　others　that　this　was　indeed　analogous　to　the　natural　fall　of　night　outside；　and　harmless　in　itself。　Then　he　lay　back；　putting　his　head　on　his　pack　and　muffling　himself　in　his　robes　as　if　preparing　to　go　to　sleep。　Doon　approached　him　as　if　intending　another　confrontation；　but　shrugged　and　seemed　to　give　the　matter　up　for　the　time　being　when　he　had　taken　a　close　look　at　the　wizard's　face。
　　　The　four　people　who　were　still　active　drank　from　the　nearby　stream；　and　again　ate　sparingly　from　their　supplies。　As　darkness　thickened　under　the　trees　they　turned　their　headlamps　on　again。　In　the　soft…focused　beams　the　forest　around　them　looked　almost　reassuringly　normal。
　　　Mark　wondered　aloud　if　their　lights　were　going　to　be　noticed。
　　　Doon　sniffed。　〃No　need　to　worry　about　that；　I'd　say。　Anything　that's　here　already　knows　that　we're　here　too。〃
　　　They　examined　Indosuaros　again；　and　as　far　as　any　of　them　could　tell；　the　wizard　was　sleeping　almost　normally；　though　he　looked　ill。　By　general　agreement　it　was　decided　to　let　him　sleep　until　morning　…　no　one　voiced　any　doubt　that　morning　was　going　to　e。
　　　Night　in　the　forest　deepened　further；　to　an　utter　blackness　that　would　have　been　unnatural　in　the　world　above。　The　headlamps　were　adjusted　to　throw　a　diffuse　illumination　and　set　on　the　ground　spaced　around　the　party；　so　that　they　provided　light　on　the　surrounding　woods　while　leaving　their　owners　in　partial　shadow。　The　circle　included　Indosuaros；　as　well　as　the　four　wakeful　people　who　took　turns　talking　and　dozing　through　the　night。
　　　It　was　a　long　night；　and　for　a　long　time　in　the　middle　of　it　Ben　found　himself　awake；　with　Ariane's　hand　closed　tightly　in　his。　The　two　of　them　were　lying　chastely　side　by　side；　and　her　eyes　would　watch　his　for　a　while　and　then　close　in　rest　or　slumber。　Doon　and　Mark　both　dozed；　on　either　side　of　them；　and　Indosuaros　nearby　faintly　snored。　Ben's　right　hand　kept　the　girl's　right　hand　enfolded。　Her　hand　was　large　and　strong；　and　he　could　feel　the　calluses　here　and　there　on　it　that　testified　she　had　not　been　brought　up　in　a　palace。　Most　of　the　time　he　was　not　thinking　consciously　of　anything；　but　was　only　conscious　of　her　hand；　and　all　the　strange　miracle　of　life　that　flowed　inside　it。　He　was　glad　that　she　could　sleep；　and　after　a　long　time　he　slept　himself。
　　　When　he　woke；　the　air　felt　a　little　cooler；　and　Mark　was　crawling　here　and　there　and　turning　off　the　lights。　Dawn；　or　some　analogue　of　it；　was　once　more　brightening　the　sky　above　the　trees。
　　　Presently　Doon　was　sitting　up　too；　and　Ariane。　In　the　morning　light；　swiftly　brightening　now；　they　all　looked　haggard；　the　men's　beards　growing　untrimmed　and　unkempt。　Indosuaros　looked　catastrophic。　The　others　took　turns　trying　to　rouse　him；　first　gently　and　then　vigorously；　but　he　could　not　be　made　to　open　his　eyes　or　utter　anything　but　moans。
　　　Doon　shook　him　brutally；　and　slapped　his　face。　〃What's　the　trouble　with　you；　man？　What　can　we　do？〃
　　　There　was　only　an　incoherent　mumble　in　reply。
　　　Doon；　more　to　himself　than　to　the　others；　muttered：　〃I　don't　know　whether　to　leave　him　here　or　not。〃　Ariane　protested。　〃You　can't　do　that。〃　〃We　may　have　to。　Do　you　think　we　can　carry　him？〃　〃And　what　about　Mitspieler？〃
　　　〃If　he's　not　back　by　now；　I　don't　think　he's　ing　back。〃
　　　〃The　next　question；〃　said　Mark；　〃is　which　way　are　we　going　when　we　do　move？　Are　we　still　trying　to　find　the　treasure；　or　are　we　going　to　turn　around　and　try。。。〃
　　　Doon　cut　him　off。　〃We　are　going　to　find　the　treasure。　We　are　going　to　help　ourselves　to　it；　and　then　we　are　going　to　find　the　way　out　again。　I　say　so；　and　the　Sword　is　mine；　and　in　my　hands。　Anyone　who　says　otherwise　is　going　to　have　to　fight　me。〃　He　glared　at　them　each　in　turn；　and　Wayfinder　had　e　into　his　hands；　so　quickly　and　naturally　that　it　seemed　to　have　been　there　all　along。
　　　Ben　asked：　〃And　will　you　fight　all　of　us　at　once？〃
　　　The　Baron　looked　at　them；　one　after　another；　a　long　moment　for　each。　〃I　will　fight　none　of　you　unless　I　have　to；〃　he　said　then；　in　a　reasoning　voice。　〃Look　here；　lads；　and　you；　girl；　it's　madness　for　us　to　talk　of　fighting　each　other　now。　But　I　think　it　would　be　equal　madness　to　split　up；　or　to　try　to　turn　back　now　that　we've　e　this　far。　For　all　we　know；　there　may　be　some　easier　exit　up　ahead。〃
　　　He　paused　for　a　few　moments；　taking　counsel　with　the　Sword　again；　and　with　himself。　Then　he　said：　〃The　three　of　you　wait　here　a　little　longer；　with　Indosuaros。　I'll　go　alone　and　scout　ahead　a　little　…　I　have　a　hunch　we　may　be　almost　at　the　end　of　this　damned　woods。〃
　　　〃You　just　said　that　we　should　not　split　up。〃
　　　〃The　separation　will　be　very　brief。　I'll　not　go　more　than　a　hundred　paces　before　I　turn　back　…　see；　the　Sword　now　directs　me　right　along　the　bed　of　the　stream；　it　hasn't　done　that　before。　So；　wait　for　me　unless　you　prefer　to　leave　the　wizard　where　he　lies